Improved brick-machine



" l 2 slieef-sheej;v 1.

JVC. DEAN. B'RIK MACHINE.

No.' 84,855. Patented Deo. 15, 18.68;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. C. DEAN.

BRICK MACHINE.

No. 84,863. Patented Dec. v18. 1888.

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o Q (o www JAMES C.. DEAN, .OF CHCAGO, ILLINOIS.

Lette/rs Patent No. 84.563. dated Decfnnlm/r `l5 1868.

IMPROVED BRICK-MACHINE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all 'whom -it lmay concern.- i

Be it known that 1, .latins G. DEA-uv, of Chicago, in the county ci' Cook, and Stato oi' Illinois, have invented certain new and use'i'ol Improvements in Brick-Making Machinery; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this 'speciiication, in which- Y Figure l, sheet 1, is an elevation of the front side ot' the improved machine for makingV bricks.`

Figure 2, sheet 1, is a top view of the machine.

Figure 3, sheet 2, is an elevation of the rear side of the machine.

Figure 4, sheet 2, is a section through the. machine, taken in the planes indica-ted by the. course ofthe red line a' z in fig. 3.

Figure sheet 2, is an elevation of a part of one end of the machine.

Figure G, sheet 2, is a diametrical section, through the pug-mill, a-nd its month-piece, showing the feeding-screw and feathered mixing-blades.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on machinery which designed for producing pressed bricks, and which consists principally of a revolving moulding-wheel, in which the clay is shaped and compressed, and a mixing and tempering-vessel or pugmill, which delivers the clay directly into the mouldchambers of said wheel.

The invention and improvements which I have made are designed l'or removing several serions diiiiculties and objections attending brick-making machinery, of the above-mentioned class, as hitherto constructed, and to prcdnce a machine, the several parts oi' which are so constructed, arranged, and adjusted, that while they will all work smoothly, and in harmony with each other, wit-hout heilig suhjectedjo injurious strain and ii'ictionfthey will also be very accessible, aud easily kept in good working order.

The Vnature. of my invention consists in a verticallymonnted and continuously-rovolving moulding-wheel or .lrnm, which is provided with laterally-movable l'llowcrs, a pressure-plate, and certain means for carrying off inc bricks as they arc extruded from the said whccl or drinn by the ibllowcrs, in conjunction with a. mixing and teinpcring-vcssel, or pug-mill, which will force the clay into the mould-cells as they successively.

pass around, and supply these cells with the necessary amount of clay to productl thc bricl'\s, as will he hcreinaiier described.

llhe invention, also consists in combining with a vcrtically-arranged moulding-wheel or drum, an endless .chain oi' carriers, for receiving thc bricks as they arc succcssively'extruded from thc verticalfacehf said wheel, and conductingr thon-1 out ofthe way; said carriels consisting of rectangular tables, which will support two sides of cach brick during thc act of taking the. bricks from the mould-wheel, thereby preventing the bricks from being dct'aced or otherwise injured, as will be hereinafter described.

The invention also consists in a circular` pressureplate, which is so applied to the face of a revolving moulding-wheel as to rotateiifeelyby the action oi' said wheel upon it, and serve as a means for resisting the pressure applied to the clav in the moulds, at the saine time operating to smooth and finish the exposed faces of the bricks, and also acting as a scraper or clearer for removing any-surplus clay which might adhere to the face of said moulding-wheel, as will be hereinaiter described.

The invention also consists in eifecting the required pressure upon theclay, while. it is coniined within the mould-cells of a revolving moulding-wheel, by means of a'toothed disk, which is rot-ated' by the action of said moulding wheel upon some of its teeth, while the intermediate teeth operate as plungers upon the followers in the mould-cells, and move them a greatcr or less distance toward a pressure-plate, according to the quantity of clay it is desired to press int-o a given space, aswill be hereinafter described.

It also consists in the employment of adjustable cam-ways or inclined planes, in conjunction with a. vertically-arranged and co1itinuously-revolviug moulding-wheel, for the purpose of effecting the expulsion of the bricks from one side of saidwheels at the proper times, and also for retracting the followers after such expulsion, so as to leave the mould-cells open .to re.- ceive fresh charges of clay from the pug-mill, as will be hereinafter described..

liurthermore, my invention consists in providing 'for communicating motion to the device for pressing and condensing the clay while in the moulds, and also to the device for. carrying oli the bricks from avertically-arranged moulding-wheel, having its mould-cells made in one of its vertical sides, thereby effecting said operations in a posit-ive manner, by a very si'mple'means, as will be hereinafter described.

lo enable others skilled in the art to understand my invent-ion, I will describe its construction and operation.

ln the accompanying drawings- A A representsill-tinibcrs, which are secured together in asti-ong and substantial lua-nner, so as to form asolidiimmlation for supporting the brick-inalcing machinery which Il am about to describe.

B Bl reprcsi-:nt two upright side trames, which are securely bolted down to the sills A, and arranged at proper distances apartto receive between them the moulding-wlicol C. l

These ii'amcsl B arc constructed with suitable bearings, for receiving the journals of the horizontaly shaft C of said wheel, and, it' desirable, said bearings may bc made in the form of remo 'able journal-boxes, so that should it be found necessary to provide neu hearings, ai'ter running the machine for a considerable tin1e this can be readily done by substituting new boxes orbushing for the` old. Y

Said frames B Bl are also provided with a flanged head-plate, B, which will serve as a means for sus. taining them against lateral thrust during the opera tionof the machine, as .will be further explained -hereiuafter.

j he moulding-wheel C is arranged to rotate in a vertical plane, and it is constructed with a suitable number of v oblong rectangular cells or chambers, in

which the clay is properly pressedinto the required shape of bricks. These cells are made through the wheel C, at right angles to its vertical face and at 'regular intervals apart, in linesradiating from the axis of this wheel, as shown in figs. V1 and 3.

Each one of said cells is provided .with a nicely-fitl ting follower orpressing-head, which is constructed with a central concave recess, s', in the middle of its manner that, by adjusting these screws, more or less clay may be'forced into the mould-cells, in` front of the followers, according to the density required of the bricks.

Between the mould-cells are recesses, W W, which are made inthe back of the .wheel 0,' but which do not extend through it. These recesses are designed to receive teeth t c', which are formed at regular intervals apart upon the circumference of a horizontal disk, J, which disk is applied to a vertical shaft, J', having its bearings in the upper part of frame B, as shown in figs. 3 and 4.

Between the said teeth i, round-headed teeth s s are formed upon 'the disk J, which are designed to enter the recesses s made 'centrally in the backs of the followers e, and to operate as plungels for forcibly compressing the clay in the mould-cells, as the llcd cells successively pass a vertical plane intersecting the axes of the shaft J and wheel C.

The teeth- -t and plungers's, upon the disk J, are spaced, relatively to the recesses W NV and followers c, of wheel G, that, as this wheel revolves in the `diL rection indicated by the arrows in figs. l and 3, it will engage with and act upon the teeth z', so as'to cause the plungers s to fall into the recesses s in the followers, and move these followers toward the faced of the mould-wheel, thereby effecting the required pressure upon the' clay, and determining the shape of the bricks.-

' It will be seen that thel wheel C and disk J rotate in the same' direction, and that the round-headed plungers s are successively brought against the followers e, 'so .as to operate centrally thereupon, from the commencement to the terminationof each operation of pressing; consequently the followers will not be tilted or caused to bind in their boxes or cells, nor will there be any material amount of iction caused during said operation.

After passing a vertical plane, intersecting the axes of the wheel C and toothed disk J, the pressure-will cease, and the endl of each plunger swill instantly recede from its respective follower.

The' vertical shaft of the toothed disk J may have its bearingsr in laterallyadjustable boxes, for the purl pose of adjusting this disk to operate with correctness, and to compensate for any wearing of the parts.

wei-ff Hw onora-tion of nressimr the elm', as above by means of a circular disk, b, with a bevelled knifeedge, which disk is keyed upon the extreme end of short shaft, b', that passes through a strong standard, B3, shown in figs. l, 4, and 5.

The disk b serves as a cover or pressure-plate, for resisting the pressure against the clay, and to this end it is held firmly: against the dat face d, of the mould-wheel C, by the standard B3, and allowed to turn aboutits -axis by the application of anti-friction rollers m m to it, as shown in fig. 4.

In order to allow the rollers to turn freely, they are made of the form of frusta of cones, and roll against' 'an annular-bevelled ridge, l, upon'said'pressure-plate.

To compensate for wear, thejournals 'of the rollers fm. m may be applied to sliding boxes, which can be adjusted by means of set-screws a a, which are tapped through the standard B5, and provided with jam-nuts to prevent their working loose.A

The pressure-plte b is bevelled circumferentially, for the purpose of forming a knife-edge, which will operate to scrape off and clear the-face d, of the'wheei 0,'of any clay which adheres to it.

The face d, of the wheel C, being much narrower than the diameter of the pressure-plate b, 'and being caused to bear upon this pressure-plate, above the axis thereof, it will be seen that the friction of the clay and the surface d will cause said pressure-plate to rotate in the direction of the rotation of the said wheel C, thereby avoiding considerable friction, and causing the pressure-plate to smooth the exposed' surfaces of the clay in themoulds while passing this plate.

'fhe standard-B3 is supported upon the'shaft O, of the moulding-wheel, between this wheel and the bearing-frame B, and it is sustained against lateral thrust by the flanged cap B2 and frame B, as shown in fig. 5.

The moulding-wheel 'C is constructed with cogs around its circumference, whichA engage with a pinion spur-wheel, D3, upon the main driving-shaft D5. This shaft, D, thus communicates a continuous rotary mo vtion to the said moulding-wheel.

AShaft D" has its bearing in the cap or tie-plate B3, and extends transverselyacross this plate, It is thus arranged for the purpose of communicating 'motion to avertical shaft, D, which carries the-mixing and -feeding-devices of the pngmill, as shown in figs. 4 and 6.

On the upper end of shaft Dl a bev'elled spur-wheel, D2, is keyed, so as to engage with bevelled teeth upon one end of the pinion D3', thus employing only one pinion to drive the pug-mill and the moulding-wheel.

The pug-mill 'case consists of a vertical cylinder, D, which is provided with a hopper, c2, and an inclined discharging-throat, B5, through which latter the clay is forced into the mould-cells, as these cellsjsuccessively pass by said throat..

The case D is centrally divided, so that one-half of it can be removed very readily, if occasion requires, and a portion of this case, with the throat B5, maybe cast solid with the bearing-frame B,'so as to afford great strength and durability.

The discharge-opening of the rnouth-pieceBii is nicely dressed and fitted against the raised face il of the moulding-wheel C, so as to prevent, as far as possible, the escape of any clay.

To prevent injiuy to the machine, and particularly to the edges surrounding the mould-cells, from stones and other hard substances'which are often found mixed with the clay, I shall introduce a roller into the mouthpiece B5, which roller will be arranged so as to force out of the way any hard substance which might `become lodged in the way oi"v a mould-cell while in the act of leaving the said mouth-piece.

YThe shaft Dis suitably' supported, in the centre of the cylindrical case 1) by means of bearings f and lr. and from this shaft feathered blades, c, radiate.

To the lowerv end of the shaft D* a screw-shaped r fmnnl. for pressing the clay downward into the throat B5 after the clay has been properly mixed and tempered by the blades c".

I do not confine myself toany'particular form or coustruction of mixers and feeders, as varionsibrms may be employed, which will thoroughly alternate 'and 1ni.\' the clay before it enters the mould-cells in the wheel C.

The upper end of the pug-mill case has a bracket projecting from it, upon which lugs, n, are ibrmedfor receiving over them one of the flanged edges of the cap or tie-plate B2, thus making this 'plate serve also to assist in steady-'inf' the pug-mill case.

By reference to ii 3, 4, and 5, it will be seen that I arrange an antifiction roller, R, on the opposite side of' the wheel (l to the pug-mill, and directly opposii e the mouth of this pug-mill. This wheel is supported in bearings in fra-nre B, and designed to roll .in contact uitlr the back face of wheel O, for the purpose of resisting the lateral strain upon this wheel C, caused by the pressure against it of the clay which is in the mouth of the pug-mill.

The impinging-smfaces of wheel R and wheel O are suitably bevelled, to prevent the former wheel from dragging..

When the clay has been fed into the mould-cells in wheel C, and properly pressed by the devices above described, the bricks thus produced are successively discharged from their respective cells, and delivered upon an endless carrier, which latter conducts. them off a proper distance, to be removed by hand.

The expulsion of the bricks is eeeted by means of the curved two-way inclined plane H, which is secured to the frame B in proper position to expel the bricks at proper times. This inclined plane H may be applied to the frame B so that it can be readily adjusted and set in any desired position. Its oiiice is to receive against it the rollers jj, on the arms 7.1 la, of each follower, and force the followers forward until its front face is flush with the surface d of the wheel C, thus expelling the bricks. i

Below the inclined ways H is another two-way inclined plane, I, which is constructed with two inclinedA ways,so arranged as to take' the rollers j j, after thel expulsion of each brick, and retract each follower, as it descends, on its way back to the pug-mill to receive another charge of clay. This leaves the mould-cells open to receive the clay from the mill, and obviates an objection to the forcing of the followers back by the clay in the act of fillingthe mould-cells,

As the arms k k of each follower, e, are applied to it, equidistant from the middle of its length, it will be seen that by a proper adjustment of the double-way inclined planes H I, they will act squarely upon each follower, and prevent it from tilting and binding against the walls of its cell.

The cog's upon the .periphery-of the moulding-wheel engage with a pinion-wheel, T, which is upon ahorizontal transverse shaft, h', which shaft has its bearings in both of the side frames B B. This shaft also carries a pinion spur-wlreel, h, which engages with a spurwheel, E, upon a short shaft, E', which has its bearings upon ame B, shown in figs. l, 2, and 4.

' The wheel E has an hexagonal drum, S, secured conceutrically to its face nearest the wheel C, around which drum au endless chain of carrying-tables are passed, which also pass around a similarly-shaped drum, Gr, which rs located at any desired distance from the mould-wheel C.

This latter drum, G, is supported so as to turn with drum S, by means of a shaft having it-sbearings in the upper ends of standards G2, as shown in figs. l and 2.

'.lhe tables consist of horizontal plates, g, with their rear ends, g, turned up at right angles to them. These tables are suitably linked together, and at their connected joints they are furnished with anti-friction r'ollers, g, which are received by recesses formed in the angles of the drums S and G, as the tables pass around with these drums.

The drum S is so arranged, with ,relation to the position of each brick at the moment of its-discharge from its cell, that the bricks are taken hold of bythe rightangular surfaces, g gl, of the tables, and while supported in this manner hy their ends and edges, they 'are moved away from the moulding-wheel, to allow of the free discharge of the bricks.

The size of the hexagonall drums, the' size of the taliles, and the speed of these partsA should be so nicely adjusted (which canbe` readily done by thev arrang ment described, and by driving direct from the moulding-wheel) that the tables-will successively arrive at the proper point to recei e,i the bricks at the moment the bricks are fully extr ded from their cells, so that it will not be necessary to stop the movement of the rroulding-drum or the carrying-off tables to effect said object.

In practically carrying out my invention, I shall provide means for keeping the face, d, of the mouldingwheel, and the exposed front faces of the followers, freely oiled, which'v may be done by applying a roller, covered with some absorbent substance, to the face of the mould-.wheel below the shaft of this wheel. This will prevent the clay from adhering to the -parrs so lubricated, and greatly reduce the friction of said parts.

And should it be found desirable to employ means auxiliary to those above described for compelling the v clay in the discharging-mouth of the pug-mill to enterV the moulding-cells, this may he done by introducing another screw or feeder into said mouth, which might readily be `operated by means of the bevel-spur wheel upon the pug-mill shaft, acting through the medium of spur-wheelsand shafts suitably arranged.

When referring to the revolving plungers s, Ido

not confine. myself to a vertical mould-Wheel, as these plungers will operate successfully when applied to wellknown horizontal mould-wheels prpperly chambered' to receive the propelling-teeth of said plungers; butin all other respects I do confine' my invention to a brickmachine which consists of aV vertical mould-wheel, a vertical pug-mill, with a lateral branch, and of a vertical pressure-plate, all constructed and operating essentially as herein described.

By using a vertical pug-mill, in an arrangement such as described, the advantages of averticalmould-wheel arev secured, and at the same time the gravity of the clay is 'made available for aiding in filling the moulds. This is not so in a combination which employs a horlzonta-i pug-mill and .vertical mould-wheel.

Again, by having the pug-mill vertical, the mixerslraft can be driven by the nterpositionzof a single wheel between the spur-teeth on the mould-drum and the' bevel or crown-wheel of the mixer-shaft, and thus the machine greatly simplilied; and by using spur-teeth* on the circumference of the vertical mould-wheel, the endless brick-carrier table can be driven by the interposition of a single wheel, or two narrow wheels, between said spur-teeth and a spur-Wheel on the head-shaft of the carrier-table.

Again, by arranging the pressure-plate b directly over the axle of the mould-wheel, the plunger s can be located at the top of the frame, at a point where the-frame is made strong, in order to sustain thestrain. And in thisconnection I will state that by this arrangement the mould-wheel can be stt yed by a wheel, R, in such a manner that whatever pressure is brought to bear by the plun gers s upon the upper part of the mould-wheel is sustained by said wheel, and thus the mould-wheel' is kept in a true vertical-position-a very important thing in the operation of moulding bricks, which require to have the pressure applied squarely and centrally upon them -whenin the mould-cells.

The arrangement` and construction of the endless chain of angular tables are such that the horizontal part of eachtable passes under the brick while it.: is being forced out of its'cell, and at the moment the brick is its sticking contact with the follower.y l.As the contact is being destroyed, the bottom of the bn'ck is supported by the base-portion of thetables.

Having described my invention,

What `.l clamas new, and desire to secure by Le ters Patent, is-

1. The combination cfa vertical pug-mill, having a lateral branch, a moulding-wheel revolving in a vertical planegand havinghorizontal mould-cells, and' a pressureplate, b, constructed, operated, and arranged substantially as and forthe purpose described.

2.l The revolving pressure-plate b, applied above the axis of the mould-wheel, which revolves in a vertical plane, Vin Vcombinationwith a stop, R, 'arranged below said axis of the mould-wheel, and with a rotary. plunger, J s, a mould-wheeland followers, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the rotary pressure-plate b, rollers m m, and the mould-wheel, substantially as and for the purpose desclibed. Y

4. The arrangement of an endless chain oflrightangled tables g g, which are open at both 'sides and at one end, so as to pass under bricks as they are eruded laterally from the mould-cells, and also support them while they are being separated from the y .ibilowers by the vertical portions of the tables, in combination with a vertically-revolving mould-wheel, suhstantially in the manner and for the purpose described,

5. A- toothed disk or wheel, J, or its equivalent, for acting upon the followers and producing the pressure upon the clay, in combination with a moulding-wheel or drum, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. Oonstructin g the moulding-wheel with recesses, w, for receiving the propelling-teeth of a disk, J, between which teeth are plunger-s, s,fo1 prcducingthe pressure upon the clay, while in the mould-cells, substantially as described.

l substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination of the vertical pug-mill, vertically-revolving mould-wheel, with its followers, vertical pressure-plate, and the chain of angular carryingo tables, constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as described.

10. 'lhe double cams or inclined'ways H I, applied to frame B, and adapted to serve the vpurposes de' scribed, in combination with followers' and the verti cally-arranged revolving mould-wheel C, substantially as described.

11. The construction ofthe frame,with the portion B5, of such a form that it constitutes a lateral jbranch of the'pug-mill, such lateral branch being cast with and on the side of the frame, substantially in the manner shown and described.

12. The construction'of the frame so as to admit of the arrangement .of the several parts of the pressl or moulding and pressing-contrivances upon it, in the manner shown and described, such frame having the tying-cap'and Abearing-plate B2 applied to its part Bl and to its part B3, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES C. DEAN. Witnesses:

R. T. CAMPBELL, EDW. SCHAF'ER. 

